Mauritius‚ Don’ts
- Do not wear shorts, mini-skirts or sleeveless shirts when visiting religious shrines.
- Do not touch the statues, carvings and religious artefacts in places of worship.
- Do not sunbath topless. Sunbathers should note that nudism and topless sunbathing are frowned upon on public beaches. No hotel permits nude sunbathing on beaches.
- Do not involve in drug trafficking which is illegal and carries very heavy penalties.
- Do not go alone to isolated locations or on deserted beaches at night, although Mauritius remains a safe place with a low criminality rate.
- Do not leave your valuables and important documents in a rented room, nor leave your personal belongings or valuable items such as camera, purse, wallet, or handbag unattended in public places.
- Do not swim in the sea where a danger notice is displayed.
- Do not accept lift from strangers, especially if you are alone.
- Do not make jokes about bombs or security threats. This is a criminal offence.
- Do not be surprised to see girls holding hands together. In Mauritius, female friends often hold hands while walking and touching.
Mauritius‚ Do’s
- Do shake hands. Handshaking is the customary form of greeting, although friends and family commonly share a kiss on each cheek.
- Do address properly. In most hotels, walking around in surfer shorts or bathing suits after sunset is simply prohibited. Mauritian women are very conservative.
- Do remove shoes (and possibly leather belts) when entering mosques and temples. Women should carry a scarf if planning to enter a mosque.
- Do respect local customs. It is prohibited to introduce sugarcane and parts thereof, soil micro-organisms and invertebrate animals.
- Do bring a gift for appreciation if invited for a meal.
- Do tip for excellent services although tipping is not compulsory.
- Do have travel insurance cover for yourself and your family.
- Do take one or two tubes of mosquito repellant if you intend to visit Mauritius in summer.